Electric-lamp switch



E. C. LEACHMAN.

ELECTRIC LAMP SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1919.

1,428,22EL Patentea July 18, 1922.

W messes IJWJZiUT UNITED STATES PTATIENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CLAUDE LEACHMAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T PEARL PICTORIAL (FOREIGN & COLONIAL) LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND. 1

ELECTRIC-LAMP swrrcH.

I Application filed March 7,

5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Lamp Switches, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to electric I lamp switches or flashers, that is to say devices intended to switch incandescent electric lamps on and off automatically. The term flasher is hereinafter employed to denote such a device, andthe term thermal.flasher is employed to describe such a device when heat operated. Such flashers are largely employed for advertising purposes in posi: tions in which it is found that attention is required to keep them in order. To give" the requisite attention in the most expedi- 20. time and satisfactory manner it is preferable to remove the flasher bodily from the advertising device and replace it by a perfect one and adjust or repair the removed one at the factory. The object of the presout invention is to render the removal of one flasher and its replacement by another a more simple and expeditious operation than has heretofore been the case. 7

The present invention therefore provides the combination with a'thermal flasher and an insulating carrier therefor of two conducting tongues projecting from the said carrier and electrically connected one to one terminal and the other to the other terminal 3 of the flasher. The said conducting 'tongues may be received in resilient contact clips carried by a separate part which is intended to be permanently. connected to the source'of electric supply. The carrier 40 with the flasher upon it may thus be en- 4 and be so spaced that they may engage the clips of a standard make of fuse clip without alteration to the latter.

This invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in perspective a flasher and its carrier and clips intended to receive it.

, Upon'a porcelain base ,A of a known construction is mounted a thermal flasher of a known construction comprising a compound strip B electrically heated by a heater B Specification of Letters Patent.

1919. Serial no: 281,174.

behind it as viewed in the drawing, and extending from one terminal C, to which it is firmly secured,towards an adjustable contact pin D with which the free end of the strip intermittently makes and breaks oonis provided with various formations indicated at A given to it for purposes which form no part of the present invention but which enable it to be used in the manner heretofore practised.

The securing screws C D of the terminals C D are by this invention made to secure to the carrier, brass tongues E and to put them in electrical connection with the terminals of the flasher. The tongues E' are so spaced and project in sucha manner that they engage spring clips F of a standard make of fuse clip of which the base G consistsof 'a porcelain block intended to be screwed to any convenient support with leading-in wires firmly secured in the terminals F It will thus be seen that the flasher and its carrier co-o crate with the clip in precisely the wellnown, manner employed for fuses and their carriers, the flasher and its carrier merely being substituted for the. well-known fuse and its carrier.

It is to be understood that the carrier A may be replaced by any other shaped insulating carrier that may be found convenient; the particular carrier A illustrated in hereto practised or, bv'the simple addition Patented July 18, 1922.

tact in the well-known manner. The base A of the tongues 'E, in the manner just above described.

' Obviously the tongues E may be received by fastening-means other than the spring clips F if it is not desired that they shall fit a standard article such as the fuse-base already referred to. i

/ What I claim as my invention and desire t6 secure by Letters Patent is 1. In aheat-operatedintermittent contact maker -.for use with an insulating support having mounted thereontwo'contaot clips situated with their line of engagement in a plane common to both, the combination with an insulating base, two electrically conducting blades situated in a plane common to both, which, blades project beyond one edge of said base and are spaced apart and aligned to engage the said. clips,a heat-operated bimetallic strip,, and a contact-piece 2 nseam arranged to cooperate with the free end of said strip, of means connnon to the other end of the strip and to one of said blades for connecting the same together electrically and also securing the same on said base, and means common to the said contact-piece and to the other of said blades for connecting the same together electrically and also socuring the same on said base with the contact-piece mounted in operative relation to the free end of the strip, substantially as set forth.

2. A thermal intermittent contact maker adapted to cooperate with an insulating support having mounted thereon only two resilient contact clips situated with their line of engagement in a plane common to both, said contact maker comprising an insu; ating base, only two electrically conducting blades which are situated in a plane common .to both, which project beyond one edge of said base and which are spaced apart and aligned to be engaged by said clips, a

heat-operated bimetallic strip, a contact post cooperating with the free end of said strip, means common to the other end of the strip and to one of said blades for eonnectin the sametogetherelectrically and also attac ing the same to said base, and means common to the said contact-post and to the other of said blades for connecting the same together electrically and also attaching the same to said base with the contact-post mounted in operative relation to the free end oi the strip, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l afiix my signature.

EDWARD CLAUDE LEACHMAN. 

